Washington asks Pak to ensure conviction of Mumbai attackers

Washington, Jan 2(ANI): The United States has asked Pakistan to prosecute the perpetrators of the November 2008 Mumbai attacks. The Bush administration has told Islamabad that it would like it to initiate prosecution with sufficient efforts to ensure conviction, the Dawn reported. However, it seems that Washington has softened its stand on the extradition of the perpetrators to India. In a latest development, Washington has asked Islamabad to punish the attackers inside the country instead in India. India had earlier demanded the extradition of those who had masterminded the Mumbai attacks, along with Dawood Ibrahim, Jaish-e-Mohammad chief Maulana Masood Azhar and Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi of the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Meanwhile in New Delhi, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee said the US pressure on Pakistan to act against the Mumbai perpetrators has not produced tangible returns. Mukherjee said that enough evidence has been provided to Pakistan to proof that its territory was used for planning the Mumbai attacks. He claimed that the FBI team which visited the village of Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone surviving terrorist of Mumbai attack, has shared strong evidences of Lashkar-e-Taibas involvement attacks. (ANI)